Saudis Blast `Criminal Gangs` For Mecca Riot

August 26, 1987|The New York Times

JIDDA, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi monarchy sought the offensive in the war of invective with Iran Tuesday, opening its borders to the world press to broadcast a denunciation of ``criminal gangs`` and Iranian ``conspiracy`` in the rioting last month in Mecca.

The Iranians, accused of provoking the riot to undermine King Fahd in his role as protector of Islam`s most sacred shrines, were warned that ``any aggression will be met with extreme firmness`` in future pilgrimages. More than 400 people were reported to have died in the rioting outside the Grand Mosque at Mecca on July 31.

The news conference conducted by the king`s brother, Prince Nayef ibn Abdel Aziz, the interior minister, was considered remarkable by Middle East experts not for its content but as a measure of Saudi Arabia`s increasingly public involvement in the heated struggle with Iran over Islam`s spiritual direction.

In effect, Saudi Arabia was defending the majority Sunni branch of Islam in accusing Iran`s Shiites of trying to ``sow the seeds of chaos`` across the Arab world.

Normally far more reclusive in defending its role internationally, the Saudi government packed the conference with news reporters from friendly Islamic nations and obviously relished the many instances when those reporters requited with unabashed endorsements of the Saudi version of events.

``Allah has exposed them and turned the matter into a scandal against Iran,`` declared the prince, who was supported by some in the gathering of close to 200 journalists and supporters.

``The press of Islam stand as one man,`` a self-described journalist declared in forgoing his question and testifying warmly at the microphone. ``The Iranian regime could not buy the conscience of a single Arab journalist.``

``We open our hearts to the media,`` the prince replied.

The Saudis offered few additional details Tuesday on the Mecca incident, except to say that ground rules had been worked out with the scores of thousands of Iranians but that they had exceeded them in a political demonstration and had moved to occupy the mosque.

Saudi officials continue to deny Iranian charges that Saudi security guards had gunned down people when a mob scene erupted into confrontation and violence in which more than half the casualties were Iranian.